by Laura Smith-Spark BBC News Online

Sarise Howes: "I don't have to carry painkillers any more"

The women, from refuges across the UK, hope their images will inspire other victims of violence to look for help.

The Visions of Freedom exhibition will travel to Liverpool, Newcastle, Leeds and Birmingham over the next month.

Its organisers are keen to promote awareness of a one-stop freephone helpline number launched in December.

It opened my eyes to see that domestic violence can happen to absolutely anybody Sarise Howes, domestic violence survivor In pictures: Visions of Freedom

Among the women to take part is 21-year-old Sarise Howes, who has lived at the Camden Women's Aid Refuge in north London for seven months.

She called the helpline - run jointly by the charities Refuge and Women's Aid - after her boyfriend, who turned out to be a drug dealer and pimp, turned violent.

"At first he was lovely, nice as pie," she said. "Then the mental abuse started - he would take me to a restaurant, order his food and wouldn't order me any.

"Then he took me to London and ordered me to get out of the car and work in a massage parlour. He got me addicted on drugs.

EXHIBITION DATES Collins and Hastie Gallery, London: 2-6 June Birmingham Central Library: 8-13 June Newcastle City Library: 15-20 June EggSpace, Newington Building, Liverpool: 22-27 June Leeds Central Library: 29 June-4 July

"Eventually, after he hit me a few times, he just turned really violent because he believed I had wasted his time as a girlfriend because he hadn't made any money out of me.

"He cut off my hair and enough was enough - I looked in the Yellow Pages, found the women's helpline number and they put me in the refuge."

At the exhibition, Ms Howes carries the same handbag she photographed next to a first aid kit.

The caption reads: "I don't have to carry this as my hand bag anymore. A normal girl's handbag. I can now carry this without plasters and painkillers inside."

Kenza's picture shows her journey from despair to light

Ms Howes said: "It does bring it all back to you when you are taking the pictures.

"Sometimes you can block it out of your mind but then when you are taking the pictures, you think 'I really am free'.

"It opened my eyes to see that domestic violence can happen to absolutely anybody - there isn't a certain type of person at all."

Kenza, 27, who has children aged three and five, sought help after an ex-partner continued to abuse her even after she had ended the relationship.

I hope this work will make people realise there is a way out Kenza, domestic violence survivor

She has found the support she has received at the Camden refuge so valuable she was keen to promote its services through the photography project.

"I found it quite enriching to look back and see how I had developed since I went into a refuge," she said.

"I hope this work will make people realise there is a way out - other women have been through this and have made it out and are happy now."

Lisa King, of Refuge, said the helpline allowed women, children and those concerned about other people in abusive relationships to call for support.

One woman found her message in graffiti on the street

"Because there's going to be no 'one right answer' for a particular woman, we try to give them as many options and choices as possible," she said.

The helpline deals with about 150 calls a day, of which 40% are from women who need emergency accommodation.

Domestic violence charities say one in four women will experience abuse at some point, with more than half of those suffering repeated episodes.

The 24-hour freephone National Domestic Violence Helpline - 0808 2000 247 - was set up last December, funded by Refuge, Women's Aid, Comic Relief and £1m from the government.